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Show Mistress Brand's Pardon. iiy ai:orton k. stiu:3. (Copyright. IJOI, by Iially story rub. Co ) Next to a beautiful horse, Ooycrnor Ilyrtl admired a pretty slrl; and there-lore there-lore ho always stopped at tho Brand mansion when Kitty Ilrand was sit-ting sit-ting on tho porch. Oft camo his broijl-brlrnmod high hat, wlta tho bell-shaped crown, and tho somewhat haughty head bent In most Kcntlo greeting, as ho halted for tho girl to coma down to tho front hedge. This morning Kitty was waiting wait-ing for him; and as ho stopped to kiss her slender Angers, sho put tho other hand over his and held It. "Yes, Miss Kitty, "said the Governor, Govern-or, who comprehended an appeal In this hand clasp "What now, Mistress Brand, would you have the stato treasury treas-ury robbed? Mtthlnlcs you had best seek tho comptroller, for ho carries tho keys," and the Governor laughed heartily and Kitty smiled hurriedly as sho said: "No, not tho treasury, Governor Byrd, at least not tho gold treasury; but It Is tho more precious gift of mercy that 1 wish." "Ahl" said tho (lovcrnor, frowning; "It Is a pardon that you want, and for whom?" "For Hunter, Iloyd, sir," and the girl clasped her hands nbout tho strong arm resting on tho gato post. "So, ho was convicted!" exclaimed tho stnto executive, "and jot what else, v could havo been expected, taken as ho was In tho strong room pf tho bank and making no defenio; only attempting attempt-ing sulcldo tho coward's refuge. And to think that John Ilojrt and I fought aldo by sldo at Uermantown; It's bad, " cry." Sy "There Is more behind this, sir, bo- mm0itn. jictb ra0 asserted Mistress Brand, ' when they wcro seated In the doep curved bench In tho corner of tho porch. "Bomothlug which tho wholo terrlblo thing depended on, and which never camo out In court" "Ahl" murmured tho dovornor, who had resigned ni Judge to accept his . .- ' office; "11 Ii often tho case, Mistress Brand." "Hut, Oovornor, ho could not tell, becauso there was n girl one of us, sir, ono ot our own Virginia peoplo. It was to sato her that ho tried to filch tho money, forthcy could not got away without lt'and ho had none; and? Oh! Governor, sho came to mo In an agony of everything dreadful, and I did what I could to comfort her, but . It was so little." "It was money J" asked tho man, as I As be stoppod to kiss tho slender An- sen, ho draw forth a prodigious pocket-book; pocket-book; but the girl pushed It back, sayings "No, sir; they do not noed that now, but something that only you cm give, the loer and soon to havo been has-band has-band back to her and go savo them both." "l'oor girl, poor foolish child! what a terrible mistake," and yet ho remembered remem-bered that In bis youth more than one had sinned nod suffered. It was the ' way of eome; but this was ono of ; - them, ono ot the families whoso nascs is were landmarks, t n i pardon him, what will they f do!" he asked finally. I "Leave the state and go West," an- , I iwered Mlstrosa Brand, "over tho Al- Jegbanles, and even as far na tho great 1 Ohio river. Bho will go with him, and, Ob, Oovernor, I don't understand It all, but sho gald, poor thing, she said It mvst be soon," and Kitty Brand blushed, while her bands trembled as she smoothed out her many nouncod , gown ot mousscllno-de-lalne. The mlddto-aBCi) gentleman coiigtteq and passed liU hand over hia lioutb. and then he bowed to her, f i I "I'lease God, you never will. Mistress . Brand," said Oovernor llyrd. "And 1 shall grant It at oner, for It Is tho only way to save the girl Then I shall go , to the sulphur spring until the tu blows over, becnuae thoy will gay It Is ' the old story, and that n gentleman Is neter punished In Virginia. As for the gentleman he might sutler and be ahemt But the girl la one of u and It Is Impossible to abandon her. 1 , trust that at least her father knows nothing" "Not now," replied Kitty, and she . shivered slightly The politicians besought him to i withhold his clemency. It wos pointed out that the opposing party would make a great outcry, and that the dangerous password of "the people against tho aristocrats" would once moro bo raised. A week later Kitty Brand received an Imposing document, highly decor- . ated with tho stite seals and stamp. j It was Hunter Boyd's pardon; and the . next day ho wos liberated and at once ' left Charlottesville In tho west-going stage. When the lumbering coach j topped at Greensville, n doien miles from tho capital, n buggy drew close to It and a youm girl got out and en tered tho stage, being greeted and assisted as-sisted by Hunter Uod, tbo pardoned convict. Then Kitty Brand drew her long, be-caped be-caped clonk more closely, and drovo hastily back to Chartottosvlllo. She , drew rein before tho stato capltol and was soon In tho Governor's ofllco. "Thank you, sir," she said, "you have done better than you know In pardoning Hunter Boyd," "It wag your pardon. Mistress Brand, declared the official. "Let me drIo you homo," requested request-ed Kitty, "It Is late In tho afternoon." "Well, well; so 1 will," consented tho Governor, and wondered If attor all there was any hopo for the affection ..-v3& "A young girl got out and entered the stage." ho had felt for beautiful Kitty Brand ever since she had lengthened bor sklrta and put up her superb hair In those wonderful puffs and billows. Kitty got out when they reached the gubernatorial residence, and a they ascended tbo many steps, tbo colorod mammy was waiting In the groat vestibule vesti-bule "Whero Is Mistress Mary, Alclnda, "asked the master, surprised that his only daughter was not there to greet them. "Bho dono gone, Marso John, "was tho reply, "an' let' thta hub nolo fob ; yub, sir." Ho opened tho letter. It was short, tcnr-bllstcrcd and heart-scaring for tho stricken man, tremblingly clutching clutch-ing tho scented paper. My Dr 1'ather and rarentl You know 1 wag Allnays a Korrard child & now how have X Binned oc how must you Suffer. I have coiio with Hunter Boyd becauao my 1'laco la at hla Side. Oil I forglva me I beseech you. Sin Your dutiful & offeclu daughter. MAHV UY1IO. 1. 8.-Mlslress Kitty llrand la a kind Angel, but ahe did thta not beiauee aha liked me, but for another persou-a man. 11. II. The Oovernor gazed out Into tho deserted de-serted street; then the cool Angers ot Kitty Brand touched his hand. "Sho has told you all?" tbo girl asked. "Head It," said John Byrd, and then recalled the postscript. "Who could tho man bo?" bo wondered. won-dered. "Hunter Boyd, ot course. I'oohl pooh I" thought he, "those, slender rascals bewitch tho women," and tho Oovernor slgbcd. Ho walchcd her delicately cut features fea-tures as tho varying emotions causod by tho lottcr appeared and vanished on tho glrl'g face. When she reached tho postscript, a scarlet flood euffuged her akin. "Ahl" said the Oovornor, "then Mary was right; It was done for a man." Mistress Brand turned slightly away under tbo heavy gnzo of her companion. com-panion. "It was good of you," he continued, "wonderfully good, to free Hunter Boyd for another woman, when you loved him.' "Loto Hunter Boydl" cried Kitty. "Merciful heaven! I despise and loathe him." "But the man?" tho Oovernor asked, as be tried vainly to turn the glrl'i faco go that be could see It. "Mistress Brand," ho continued, "I am about to commit worse than a crime; for an old man Uko myself It la a folly, but I must Ull you that 1 lovo you; can you pardon mo!" and Mistress Brand's rurdnn muat have been satisfactory, for It wag whispered In the Governor's ear, while her arms were about bla throat |
